Cryotherapy as a whole-body cold therapy is a promising method for enhancing general well-being of an individual, including treatment and prevention of depression and fatigue, as well as for invoking and/or reactivating internal resources of the organism, thus promoting its natural capacity for a self-defense against various diseases including asthma, hormone deficiencies, joint inflammation and skin disorders, such as allergies and psoriasis. Upon exposing the patient's skin to an impact of the extreme temperatures, such as below −100 degrees Celsius (typically within a range of −110 to −170° C.), for 1-3 minutes at a time, the body develops stress response, followed by activation of metabolic processes, acceleration and intensification of blood circulation, increased oxygen supply to cells and tissues and release of anti-inflammatory and analgesic substances, that altogether results in an at least alleviation of pain, reduced swelling and diminished muscle tension. Long-term effects of cryotherapy thus include an enhanced immune resistance of the organism and an improved flexibility and elasticity of soft tissues and skin. Extreme cold also promotes cell replacement processes naturally occurring within the body, and elimination of dead cells, accordingly.
In this regard, whole-body cryotherapy is particularly effective for use in cosmetic treatment, as for preventing and/or delaying ageing processes, for example. Additionally, whole-body cryotherapy can be successfully utilized for promoting healing after surgery, as well as for retaining good physical shape and accelerating restoration after intensive physical training and/or sport competitions.
Devices for carrying out the whole-body cryotherapy are known from the art. Thus, the U.S. Pat. No. 8,162,930 (Brojek) discloses a cryogenic chamber and a cryogenic cabin with means for producing a low temperature (−60 to −160° C.) therewithin by vaporizing liquefied gas(es) to create a cold breathable atmosphere in the chamber. In its preferred implementation the cryogenic cabin is situated inside the chamber, so that the closed cabin comprises an air intake device for providing breathing air to the patient. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,270 (Donnerhack et al) discloses, in turn, a walk-in cryogenic cabin in the form of a half-shell open at the top. In the aforesaid publications supply of the cold treatment gas is implemented via a heat exchanger.
Another kind of walk-in devices for carrying out the whole-body cryotherapy is known as cryosauna and is based on a direct supply of cold treatment gas into the treatment cabin accommodating a patient. Such cryosauna devices are equipped with a gas mixing unit, allowing mixing of coolant (liquefied gas) with ambient air, and supplying the resulting mix into the treatment cabin. Thus, the United States patent application No. 2013/0025302 (Lyubchenko) discloses a cryosauna comprising the aforementioned gas mixing unit (gas generator) which in turn comprises an evaporation tank for self-evaporating liquefied gas/cooling agent and a mixer for mixing the evaporated cooling agent with an ambient air, after that a mixture of the self-evaporated cooling agent and air is directed into the treatment cabin.
However, the abovementioned cryosauna device and/or other devices for a whole-body cryotherapy are constrained with common technical problems. The first problem concerns, in particular, the so-called cryosauna devices enabling direct supply of coolant mix into the treatment cabin. Thus, when the cooling agent, such as liquefied gas, is supplied into the gas mixing unit, it is allowed to evaporate therein largely by itself (self-evaporation). However, once supplied into the gas mixing unit said cooling agent normally tends to re-acquire a liquid state at the bottom of the evaporation tank, which in practice leads to a situation when an amount of cooling energy, potentially releasable from said cooling agent, drastically decreases, since considerable amount of the cooling agent could not be effectively exploited/delivered to the patient chamber. Auxiliary appliances for promoting self-evaporation of the cooling agent, such as a duct fan, described in the US 2013/0025302, are clearly not sufficient to promote and/or intensify evaporation of liquefied gas within the gas mixing unit. Another problem, concerning in general all existing devices for the whole-body cryotherapy, is an absence or insufficiency of cold fluid circulation within the treatment (patient) cabin. Therefore, room for improvement exists with regard the at least above mentioned issues.